News-Chronicle on neutrality towards Spain : statement

"NEWS-CHRONICLE" ON NEUTRALITY TOWARDS SPAIN.
"Covenanter's" article in to-day's "News-Chronicle" is an attempt to prejudice an issue which will come before the Annual Conference of the Labour Party next week.
Labour, very reluctantly, accepted the policy of non-intervention. "Left" Governments in France and the U.S.S.R. with a more intimate knowledge of the situation, supported the same policy.
Labour insisted from the beginning that non-intervention must be made effective. It is clear that non-intervention has not been made effective. In the circumstances the National Council of Labour, which has had the problem under continuous consideration, to-day reviewed the situation, and a statement will be made to the Labour Party's Conference at Edinburgh, within the next few days.
"Covenanter" charges Labour spokesmen with having withheld information from the Trades Union Congress. This statement is, of course, absurd. The "News-Chronicle" on September 9th referred to the discussion which had taken place at the C.G.T. on the 8th, and on the 10th reported the matter fairly fully. The C.G.T. Resolution of September 6th to which he refers contains nothing to which the British Labour Movement could take exception. It notes that "the chances of attaining complete non-intervention are impaired by the attitude of the countries which have taken sides with the Spanish rebels", and the C.A. of the C.G.T. "considers it to be its duty to request the French Government to reconsider, together with the other democratic Governments, the policy of neutrality". That attitude is shared by British Labour.
"Covenanter" asks "why should not the Labour Movement demand what it thinks is the right policy, regardless of what any Government may feel constrained to do?" British Labour always demands what it thinks is right, but the attitude of the "Left" Government in France cannot be ignored in considering the policy to be followed.

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"NEWS-CHRONICLE" ON NEUTRALITY TOWARDS SPAIN.
"Covenanter's" article in to-day's "News-Chronicle" is an attempt to prejudice an issue which will come before the Annual Conference of the Labour Party next week.
Labour, very reluctantly, accepted the policy of non-intervention. "Left" Governments in France and the U.S.S.R. with a more intimate knowledge of the situation, supported the same policy.
Labour insisted from the beginning that non-intervention must be made effective. It is clear that non-intervention has not been made effective. In the circumstances the National Council of Labour, which has had the problem under continuous consideration, to-day reviewed the situation, and a statement will be made to the Labour Party's Conference at Edinburgh, within the next few days.
"Covenanter" charges Labour spokesmen with having withheld information from the Trades Union Congress. This statement is, of course, absurd. The "News-Chronicle" on September 9th referred to the discussion which had taken place at the C.G.T. on the 8th, and on the 10th reported the matter fairly fully. The C.G.T. Resolution of September 6th to which he refers contains nothing to which the British Labour Movement could take exception. It notes that "the chances of attaining complete non-intervention are impaired by the attitude of the countries which have taken sides with the Spanish rebels", and the C.A. of the C.G.T. "considers it to be its duty to request the French Government to reconsider, together with the other democratic Governments, the policy of neutrality". That attitude is shared by British Labour.
"Covenanter" asks "why should not the Labour Movement demand what it thinks is the right policy, regardless of what any Government may feel constrained to do?" British Labour always demands what it thinks is right, but the attitude of the "Left" Government in France cannot be ignored in considering the policy to be followed.